Intercultural Communication

Service Learning Paper

Submitted by:
Nicholas Carlson
December 12, 2015

Submitted to:
Tamra K. Phillip, M.S.
COMM 2150
Salt Lake Community College

Service Organization
I had the privilege to volunteer at the English as a Second Language Lab for my
service learning project. Here is the contact information:

Andy Shaw
ESL Instructor
English as a Second Language Lab
Salt Lake Community College
TB 125
Email: andrewshaw@slcc.edu
Project
The ESL Lab here at Salt Lake Community College teaches students who are
learning English the skills they need to move forward in the right direction. Their
mission is to provide learning experiences that will promote greater student success and
satisfaction in their personal, professional and academic pursuits, with a focus on the
development of language and study skills that are necessary for success in college
studies (SLCC ESL Website). These experiences come from practicing the language as
well as interacting with native English speaking students. By having these experiences,
ESL students learn, grow, and develop the keys to their success.
My project involved me working with a variety of students, some more than
others, and helping them with their English. For the majority of the times I helped with
tutoring, I worked with Fowsiyo. She is from Somalia and has been in the United States
for 8 years. Fowsiyo really wanted to be able to speak better and learn more about the
English language so she could interact with those around her. When I wasnt helping
Fowsiyo, I had the chance to work with Faris and Noor from Saudi Arabia. The day we

worked together we did practice exercises and I really enjoyed helping them. I also
worked with Natalie from Peru with an assignment another day. She seemed to know
English well and only had a few questions when we worked together. Working with
these students allowed me to see how cultures are both different and similar to one
another.

Cultural Groups
Fowsiyo is from the East African country of Somalia. She is 27, a mother of
three, and a Muslim. Faris and Noor are from Saudi Arabia and both are in their twenties.
Natalie is from Peru and she is from a very collectivist culture. All of these students are
studying and learning more about the English language to better themselves for the
future. I feel that as I learn more about their cultures I will be able to better communicate
with them.

Challenges
There are a few things that made this service learning project difficult. The first
challenge I had was lack of time. I had a hard time working around my schedule to make
the accommodations needed. I had to make time so I could complete my project, which
resulted in me tutoring one day a week for one to two hours each time. The other
challenge I faced was my knowledge of grammar. I found it difficult to remember my
different tenses and how to properly conjugate words. What made things even tougher
was trying to explain these things in a way that the students would understand. I wanted
to be as helpful and not misinform them.

Theory
Of the many different theories we discussed, I want to focus and apply Edward T.
Halls theory of Proxemics. As defined in the textbook, proxemics is the study of how
people use personal space to communicate (Martin & Nakayama, 2012, p. 47). This
space is studied within different cultures to see the effects that it has on individuals and
groups.
Proxemics is more variable than other forms of communication. Many of these
other forms are similar between cultures. We see that the norms for personal space seem
to vary considerably from culture to culture (Martin & Nakayama, 2012, p. 282). This is
important because our space can have an effect on those around us. In fact, the use of
space can produce either positive or negative outcomes.
Seeing that the amount of space between people can affect communication, Hall
realized that people develop a bubble where they feel comfortable having people
around. Their personal space depends on the circumstance and the individual. Typically,
people have distance zones that are based on these situations. The course packet
describes these zones and lists the distances and boundaries of them (Phillips, 2015, p.
44)
1. Intimate Distance: The closest bubble of space surrounding a person. Entry
into this space is acceptable only for closest friends and intimate partners.
2. Personal Distance: The other person is at arms length. Only ritualized touch
is typical. Usually reserved for friends and family.
3. Social Distance: The space in which people fee comfortable conducting
routine social interactions with acquaintances as well as strangers.

4. Public Distance: The area of space beyond which people will perceive
interactions as impersonal and relatively anonymous. Its the distance of the
lecture hall, mass meetings, and public speeches.
Along with the study of using space, Halls theory also talks about other means of
communication. These include the concepts of time, high and low context cultures, eye
contact, and nonverbal communication. They are valuable in helping us better
understand cultures and can tell us a lot about an individual.
Time is a characteristic of all cultures, but how a culture views it can be different.
There are two ways people understand and use time as discussed by Hall. In the text we
learn of the ways people perceive time and how it is viewed as monochronic or
polychromic. Those with a monochronic perception of time regard time as a
commodity: time can be gained, lost, spent, wasted, or saved. In this orientation, time is
linear, with one event happening at a time. In general, monochronic cultures value being
punctual, completing task, and keeping to schedules (Martin & Nakayama, 2012, p.
287). The United States and Germany both practice this view of time in their respective
cultures.
A polychronic orientation differs from monochronic orientation in that time is
more holistic, and perhaps more circular. Many events can happen at once (Martin &
Nakayama, 2012, p. 288). Countries in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa are
where polychronic time orientation is used. It is important to see that not recognizing
differences in time perception can make or break a situation in. One must be aware of
what type of time orientation someone has help them better communicate with those of
different cultures.

Analysis
Cultural differences are ever prevalent in todays society. As I worked on my
service learning project, I noticed many of the concepts described and taught in Edward
Halls theory. By paying attention to these details, I feel I was able to communicate and
interact better with the students in the ESL Lab. My goal was to not make any of these
students feel uncomfortable or out of place.
One of the first days I volunteered at the ESL Lab, I noticed that many of the
students were grouped together with those of their culture and ethnicity. I found this
interesting and can see that Halls theory of Proxemics can be applied. There was
personal distance between them. These students were friends because of the similarities
they had and felt comfortable because of that. There was a bubble around them that
acted as an aid for this situation. I understand that it would be hard feeling out of place,
not knowing what to expect due to unfamiliarity. I feel that these students created space
to feel more at ease with learning English.
Another example of Halls theory in my project was how my perception of time
was different. I was on a pretty strict schedule during the course of this service learning
project. I either had work later in the day or had other commitments I needed fulfill.
There were times that Fowsiyo asked for help after class was over and I had a schedule to
keep. Fowsiyo and I both viewed time differently which had never really occurred to me
before this. She had more of a polychronic perception of time while I had more of a
monochronic one. However, even though we had different views of time, there were
times that one of us would give way to the others side. Sometimes I found myself
staying longer and other times she helped me keep my schedule,

By being observant, I was able to see how different cultures communicate with
one another as well as interact with things that are unfamiliar. There were times I felt that
students made light of the situation and class. I now realize that it was a technique to
make them feel more comfortable and create space. By applying this theory I was able to
better interact with these students.

Reflection
When I was told that I would have to do a service learning project at the
beginning of the semester, I was very apprehensive towards it. I contemplated what I
could do for it. When the idea of working in the ESL Lab came up I thought it might be
enjoyable. I was nervous and didnt know what to expect the first time I walked into the
class. I now am so thankful for the opportunity that I had to work with these students.
The first little bit was hard since I felt like I couldnt offer much and felt that I
was intruding. I thought how could I possibly help. I also felt like a stranger to the
students and seemed out of place. These feelings all changed when I started interacting
more with the students. As I began working more with Fowsiyo and the other students I
saw a change in my attitude towards the project. I didnt dread going to the ESL Lab, but
rather I looked forward to going back.
I felt that I was making a difference in the lives of those I was working with. As I
continued my project, I became friends with many of the students. I realized they are just
like me, only in a different situation.
Overall, I loved working with the students in the ESL Lab and could see myself
doing it again in the future. I wish I could have gotten to know all the students in the

class because this project really was enjoyable. It helped me to gain a greater interest in
cultures and see the similarities that we have. It also encouraged me to seek out
interactions with other cultures. I feel this experience was beneficial and that it has given
me new insights to the world around me.

References
SLCC ESL Website. (2015). Retrieved December 12, 2015, from
http://www.slcc.edu/english/esl/
Martin, J.N. & Nakayama, T.K. (2012). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (6th ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Phillips, T.K. (2015). Intercultural Communication Course Packet